Name plate



J. E. NICHOLS June 7, 1938.

NAME PLATE Filed April 19, 1937 afibw: n 9

Patented June 7, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

This invention relates to name plates, and especially those used for caskets or coffins.

One object of my invention is to provide a plate which is adapted to receive separate letters, figures orother characters in any desired combination, and which may be removed or changed at will. Another objectis to provide separate letters or other characters for said plate of new and original construction. Still another object is to provide such a plate and letters so simple and efficient in construction and combinational arrangement that a layman can assemble them on said plate and form a name or other designation readily without special training or instruction, and produce an artistic appearance, and which letters will remain in the assembled position even though the plate is shaken or moved about.

I am aware that others have made name plates to receive separate characters along similar lines, and it has been my particular object to so improve said name plates that they will become more desirable and advantageous to use.

The foregoing and other objects which will ap- Dear as the nature of the invention is better understood, may be accomplished by a construction, combination and arrangement of parts such as is disclosed by the drawing and specification. The nature of the invention is suchas to render it susceptible to various changes and modifications, and, therefore, I am not to be limited to said disclosure; but am entitled to all such changes therefrom as fall within the scope of my claims.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a front elevational view of my name plate.

Figure 2 is a sectional View taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 1 showing the position of w the cord lines in the character members.

Figure 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, front elevational view to more clearly illustrate the relation of the holding cords of the plate to the character member held thereby.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary front elevational View of a modified form, of my, plate. v

As illustrated, I provide a plate or backer I2 which is preferably made of metal and Oblong in shape. It has holes l3 therein whereby it may 50 be nailed or screwed to a casket or other supporting member. Adjacent each end of said-plate l2 are twoholes 14, one above the other, through which a cord I5 is strung. Said cord is preferably a single length and extends from the back 55 end of said plate through a said cord hole l4 horizontally across said platelZ to and through a said cord hole M in horizontal alinement withthe I first-mentioned cord hole, then vertically in back of said plate to the cord hole M in vertical alinement therewith, thence horizontally across said plate l2 to and through a said cord hole I4 in vertical alinement with the first-mentioned cord holewhere said cord started, and the two loose ends are tied or secured as at It to thereby, securely and firmly hold said cord in place.' I find it preferable to make said cord 15 of material having some elasticity such as catgut, or silk cord is suitable, and preferably of the same color shade as the characters I 8 or plate I2. I'have designated the upper front line of said cord as His and 15 the lowerfront line of said cord as !5b, and, of course, these cords could be two separate pieces. Said cord is drawn firmly across the front of said plate l2 to avoid slackness,

The writing or designation on said plate I2 is formed by means of separate letter or character members l8, in the bottom and top of which horizontal channels is are formed which extend inwardly into the body of said members It, the sides of which channels l9 preferably extend straight downwardly, as it is desirable to avoid looking or wedging said cord l5 at the bottom of said channels l9.

In order to hold said character members 18 more securely in place the cord lines a and 151) are spaced apart a distance slightly less than the distance between-the bottom of the upper channeland the top of the lower channel IS in said characters [8, with the result that whensaid character members l8 are in place between said cord lines 5a and I5b there is a slight stretching or tension of said cord lines whichprovides suificient friction on said character members l8 to keep them from moving or otherwise being displaced. This feature is best illustrated in Figure 4 of the drawing.

In the modification illustrated in Figure 5 of, the drawing there is provided a plate having provision in the form of numerous holes 2| spaced apart whereby said cord I5' can be kept from View at the front of the plate l2. Said holes'Zl extend through said plate l2, and are large enough to accommodate-said cord 15, which is so strung on said plate I 2 that it is at the front thereof only where a charactermember I8 is to appear, and all other portions are at the back of the plate as illustrated by the dotted lines in Figure 5 of the drawing. In this modification the upper line of cord where it appears'at the front is given the numeral 22 and the lower line is 23, and

it will readily be seen that by lacing of said cord I5 through the said holes 2| so that it is at the front of the plate only where the top and bottom of the character members [8 are, that said cord l5 need not be visible in front View at all. Said holes 2| are preferably spaced the same distance apart; which space does not exceed the width of said character members, and preferably is less. The construction of said plate I2 and the association of said character members I8 is the same as shown in Figure 1 of the drawing except for the two lines of said holes 2| and intermittent appearance of said cord at the front of said plate.

What I claim is:

1. A name plate comprising in combination a plate and separate character members held thereto, the main body of said character members being formed to the shape of the particular characters they represent, two cord lines spaced apart fastened to and extending part way across said plate, said character members having channels in their upper and lower sides extending vertically into the body of the characters, said cord lines extending into said channels whereby said character members are held in position in I association with said plate.

2. A name plate comprising in combination a plate and separate character members in association therewith, said plate having holes therein extending from front to back,'a resilient cord a portion of which is at the back surface of said plate and portions of which extend through said holes and partly across the front of said plate and form two lines spaced apart, said character members having channels therein at the top and bottom thereof and extending into the body thereof, said cord line extending into said channels whereby said character members are held in position in association with said plate.

3. A name plate comprising in combination a plate and separate character members in association therewith, said plate having holes therein extending therethrough,two resilient cord lines spaced apart and connected thereto and extending firmly part way across the front of said plate, the upper and lower portions of said character members having channels therein intermediate the front and rear faces thereof, said cord lines extending into said channels, the normal distance between said cord lines being less than the distance between the inward extremities of said upper and lower channels in said character members, whereby said character members are held under tension by and between said cord lines.

4. A name plate comprising in combination a plate and separate character members held thereto, said plate having holes therein extending therethrough, a cord extending from the back of said plate through a said hole and across a portion of the front of said plate and through another said hole to the back of said plate and extending for a distance along the back of said plate and then through another said hole and then extending across a portion of the front of the back of said plate, the portions of said cord extending across the front of said plate being spaced apart, said character members having a channel at the top thereof extending downwardly into the body of said members and a channel at the bottom thereof extending upwardly into the body thereof, the two sections of said cord at the front of said plate extending through said channels whereby said character members are held in position in association with said plate.

5. A name plate comprising in combination a plate and separate character members held thereto, said plate having holes therein extending therethrough, a cord having one end extending from the back of said plate through a said hole and firmly across a portion of the front of said plate and through another said hole to the back of said plate andextending for a distance vertically along the back of said plate and then through another said hole and then extending firmly across a portion of the front of said plate and through another said hole to the back of said plate, the two ends of said cord being secured at the back of said plate, the portions of said cord extending across the front of said plate being spaced apart, said character members having a channel at the top thereof extending downwardly into the body of said members and a channel at the bottom thereof extending upwardly into the body thereof, the two sections of said cord at the front of said plate extending through said channels and contacting said body at the terminating points of said channels whereby said character members are held in position in association with said plate.

6. A name plate comprising in combination a plate and a separate character member held thereto, said plate having a plurality of holes extending horizontally in two lines across a portion of said plate at a distance apart not exceeding the width of said character member, a cord connected to said plate forming two cord lines each extending from the back of said plate through a said hole horizontally across the front of said plate to another said hole adjacent thereto, and extending therethrough to the back of said plate, a portion of said cord at the front of said plate being opposite said character memher, said character member having channels at the top and bottom thereof, said cord lines extending into said channels whereby said character member is held in position in association with said plate.

JAMES E. NICHOLS. 

